Sixteen Candles And A Wish
by FraiseDandelion
Summary: High school junior Rayne Hood embarks on a quest to find the father and brother she never met. Will this powerful sorceress manage to bring two soulmates their much deserved happy ending? Do their hearts beat for each other as they once did?
1. Prologue: Storybrooke

Title: Sixteen Candles And A Wish

Rated: T

Summary: High school junior Rayne Hood embarks on a quest to find the father and brother she never met. Will this powerful sorceress manage to bring two soulmates their much deserved happy ending? Do their hearts beat for each other like they used to?

A/N: So my friends and I were discussing how cool (and dramatic) it would be for Regina and Robin to meet after several years and well, I came up with this! Multi-chaptered, already have the ending written. Hope you guys enjoy this prologue and let me know how I did and what I can do to make this story better! Enjoy!

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><p>|Prologue|<p>

There was something about Storybrooke that never quite made sense to me.

Perhaps it was the way that people looked at me when I walked around those oh so narrow sidewalks (Seriously mom? Couldn't you have done a better job at that?) , they always had this ugly pitiful look as if to remind themselves to go all softie on me because of what I've lost, like stop it Granny! I know what I lost so stop giving me the extra cheese on the fries! Well actually don't stop with the extra cheese just stop with the pity! Or perhaps it was because those same eyes that look pitiful at me and my mom were the eyes that once held so much spite for my mother they could burn her using only their corneas. Or maybe I wasn't too fond of Storybrooke because of the fact that the ONLY mall was like 9,000 square feet and lacked all of my favorite stores (Again, really mom?). Either way, I've never been too fond of this creepy little town with so many dark secrets it could beat the White House's and the Pentagon's... adjoined.

My mother, however, had managed to call this place her home and had told me on several occasions how this town, in fact, this world was better than the Enchanted Forest, because she didn't had to worry about me or my big brother getting squished by some ogres. Fair point, but it wasn't even a mere 15 seconds after she'd say those words that I was back on my "_Ten Thousand Reasons Why I Dislike Storybrooke_" dilemma. To be fair there was only one thing I enjoyed about Storybrooke and that was the beautiful forrest the forsaken town had, so thank you mom for that. There was something about the scent of pines and the feel of dirt between my toes that managed to calm my senses and lull me into a state of full relaxation. Maybe this was the way my mother felt when she rode horses around the forrest before my bitchy deceased grandma killed her fiancé, or maybe this was the way my father felt...

My father.

My father. My brother. Storybrooke.

_Storybrooke._

The town with a lot of secrets. Storybrooke, the town which I dislike to the bottom of my heart. Storybrooke, the town in which I've spent my sixteen years. Storybrooke, the town that forced my mother to watch as my father walked away. Storybrooke, the town that forced my father to leave his soulmate and daughter behind.

I roll my eyes and scoff at the stupid red town line and walk back the same way I came. I've done this for several times this week, always with the same outcome;

A bitter teenage girl who can't find the strength in her to leave this forsaken town behind in order to find the one thing she needs the most. Her loving father and dimpled brother.

I roll my eyes this time at myself and stomp my foot onto the pavement, smirking at the 5 feet long crack that appeared instantly in front of me.

Maybe I should start focusing on my "_Ten Thousand Reasons Why I Adore Being The Strongest Witch In All Realms". _So with a smirk on my face I walk those dreadful 10 minutes from the town line to my house, silently praying to Mary Margaret that my mom made her apple turnovers tonight.


	2. A Book With A Thousand Secrets

_|A Book With A Thousand Secrets|_

It was with a kiss to her forehead that Rayne awoke at 7:35am that Monday morning and she groaned inwardly, today on a free day her mother chose to wake her early. Regina was crouched beside her bed, hands caressing her cheeks lovingly trying to coax her into full awareness.

"Honey, I have to leave early today, breakfast is in the microwave and Henry is stopping by with Grace in a few so please try to be awake by then?"

"Mmmmhmmm," muttered Rayne, her eyes dropping on their own accord. Regina shook her head and chuckled.

"I love you, see you at noon, or you could stop by the town hall if you want?," Rayne groaned and Regina let out a laugh, kissed her daughter's cheek, stood up and started to leave the room before she caught glimpse of her daughter's desk.

"What is that?" Regina exclaimed staring directly at the contents splayed across her daughter's desk. At this Rayne's eyes opened immediately, all trace of sleep gone from them. She felt the walls closing in on her, her heart pounding intently across her ribcage, suddenly breathing seemed like the hardest thing to do in the world. She closed her eyes again and cringed inwardly, trying to brace herself for the scolding that was about to happen. If her mother figured out what she was doing, much less where she was going, Rayne was sure that she would kill her right then and there. But instead no flames arose from her mother's palm, no scolding voice came from her mouth, instead Rayne was met with a disappointed and tired voice.

"I told you Rayne, no mixing potions unless supervised," Regina sighed and Rayne celebrated inwardly. With a sweep of her hand the contents on top of the desk disappeared from thin air and Regina walked once again towards her daughter's bed, this time sitting on the edge of the bed, her palms laying across her daughter's middle.

"Honey, I've told you this several times already, with great magic comes great responsibilities and I don't want you to get too ahead of yourself, understood?" Her mother asked and gently rubbed her back.

"I know mom, I'm sorry," Rayne muttered which seemed to please Regina because she was leaning down and dropping a kiss to her cheek. She rose, uttered a "Call me if you need anything" and left Rayne alone in her room.

When she heard the front door closing and the engine of the car fading, Rayne arose from her bed and ran towards her desk. There beneath the three books labeled with "Chemistry: A Molecular Approach", "Biology" and "Pre-Calculus 7th Edition" laid a smaller but thicker book, it's dark leather cover and yellowed managing to creep out even the strongest of persons. She sighed relieved and pulled the book to her chest before she placed it again on her bookshelf.

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><p>She was not nervous, she was anxious when she arrived at Storybrooke's High School. She'd gotten a call early today, the principal requesting an immediate meeting, the sooner the better. That's why, at 2:17pm on a Monday Regina was walking, no, more like running through the corridors of the big school.<p>

The door leading to the principal's office opened on their own accord and Miss. Daley, the sixty year old secretary and the principal's aunt, motioned Regina to go inside, the older woman not showing one hair of fear as she sighed and shook her head. She felt for the teenage girl who will obviously get her ass scorned tonight. Rayne had never been one to get in trouble with the school system, but as of lately her presence in school was becoming less and less apparent, the teenage girl managing to cut classes up to 4 times per week causing her GPA to lower considerably and if there was something that Principal Lauren wouldn't have in her school, is an irresponsible student with an 1.8 GPA. So today she did the unspeakable, what teachers had been afraid of doing, today she called Regina Mills' office and spoke directly with her, pure authority in her voice as she explained to the -now again- mayor how her daughter's behavior had changed drastically, requesting to see her today. Regina had agreed instantly which is why now, 30 minutes after that calle, Regina was standing in front of the principal, her hands closed tightly.

"Miss Mills, please sit," the principal motioned to the pair of leathered seats in front of her desk. Regina nodded and sat down, she bit the inside of her cheek and waited for the principal to begin.

"How are you?" Regina shook her head and hurried her along, there was no time for chit chat, if there was something the mayor had learned in her 30+ years of leading this town was that you always start with a greeting and a simple conversation before being met with the harsh truth of the visit. She didn't wanted that right now, she wanted Principal Lauren to just tell her as it was.

"Well, okay, um, let's start from the beginning," the older woman whispered awkwardly, she stared intently at her hands clasped together before her eyes found those of the worried and clearly anxious mother "Has Rayne been acting different as of late?"

"If she were I wouldn't be having this conversation with you, if she were I would've fixed it as soon as I noticed so no, Rayne has been acting the same way. I don't know what's going on so please Lauren, just tell me about her behavior in school," Regina practically growled. This was frustrating, Regina might be biased but her daughter was the nicest and the most responsible human being she'd ever had the chance of meeting. Yet here there were, Lauren giving Regina a scorning look as she went over all of the papers on Rayne's file. There were detention notes (several of them), a couple of warnings given by different teachers, two copies of tests one with a 20/100 grade and the other with a big 0 written in the middle of it, there were other papers containing the dates and classes she'd cut and some excuse notes Regina was sure she'd never signed, yet they contained her unique signature. Regina didn't know wether to laugh or cry, she was numb, only found herself nodding along to whatever the principal was saying, managed to caught the words _expulsion _and _2 months_ before she rose from the seat, muttered a thanks to the principal and bolted from the office.

She felt her blood boil, her hands warm as she curled and uncurled her fingers trying to contain the magic begging to be released. She was fuming, she was livid, every step she took towards her house resonated against the shops in the small town, she passed Granny's diner, caught sight of Snow making her way towards her but halting her steps as she took in the composure of her former step-mother. Regina kept on walking, small cracks appearing and disappearing in the sidewalk the closer she got to her house. The front gate opened with just a flicker of her index finger and so did the front door. She heard laughter coming from upstairs and it was almost enough for the rage to disappear completely. Almost. Instead she bit the inside of her cheek, walked up stairs two at a time until she bolted towards her daughter's bedroom door. She didn't even knocked or called out her name before she opened the door and eyes scattered across the room searching for her daughter's, she caught glimpse of the small pug sleeping on top of Henry's lap, caught sight of Grace -Henry's gilfriend- sitting indian style on Rayne's bed as she slowly drew some designs with henna ink on her daughter's right hand. Her daughter's eyes rose from the art being placed on her hand and caught sight of her mother's glare, her smile turned into a frown and her mother looked at her brother for a couple of seconds.

"Grace, come on lets give them a minute," Henry muttered and he carefully placed the -now awake- dog on the floor and grabbed his girlfriend by the forearm. Grace arose from the bed and gave Regina a big smile before heading downstairs with Henry.

Regina closed the door behind her and stared intently at her daughter.

"I just had a conversation with Principal Lauren today, imagine my surprise when she told me that my daughter is on the verge of expulsion if she doesn't change her behavior. Imagine your mother's confusion when she found out that her daughter, her loving, smart and responsible daughter not only has a couple of F's and detention notes on her file, but has managed to fake my signature in several excuse notes!," Regina uttered, a wicked and sarcastic smile playing upon her lips.

"Mom-"

"No! Let me finish! I am so disappointed in you!" Regina whispered, her face turning into a glare as her index finger pointed directly at her daughter, her feet carrying her almost automatically towards Rayne's bed, "I've sacrificed myself these past few years so YOU could have anything you wanted, everything I _thought_ you deserved, I've given you everything Rayne and I only asked for ONE thing in return, for you to be a good person, and this is how you pay me? You cut 4 clases this week already and it's only Wednesday! So you better tell me what the hell was going through that thick head of yours!"

Rayne stared wide eyed at her mother, tears gathering in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

"Rayne Dakota Hood Mills! You answer right this instant!" Her mother yelled and Rayne cringed.

"I'm so-"

"I said explain!"

Rayne closed her eyes and sighed, she turned her back to her mother and walked towards her bookshelf.

"Don't you turn your back on me Rayne!," Regina walked angrily towards her daughter and grabbed her forearm, pulled her back from her bookshelf but immediately stepped away by the book in her hands.

"Where did you get that? What are you doing with that? Answer me! What were you thinking!" Regina said as she pulled the small book from her daughter's grasp.

"I want to find my father," Rayne whispered tearfully as she stared at her toes. Regina scoffed at her daughter and shook her head. She should've seen it coming. She had tried, had searched for a way to leave town and to come back, but there wasn't any, she wanted to find Robin and tell him of their daughter, wanted her daughter to know Robin, to show him of her abilities, to show him how great she is shooting an arrow, how smart and how big her heart is, which was the reason why she didn't wanted Rayne to get in too deep. Regina knew better than anyone how much it hurt to have hope only for life to tear it away from her reach, it destroyed her in the past, to see the same thing happening to her daughter will end up killing Regina. It was better for Rayne not to have hope at all, to suffer a small heartbreak sooner rather than later, before hope is all she knows. Truth was that searching for a way to bring back Robin was like searching for a needle in a haystack, useless and hopeless.

"Rayne, I searched and looked everywhere for a way to bring him back, really I did, but there's nothing. Okay? Your father is gone," A few tears escaped her eyes as she took in the book in her hands. She can see it now, her daughter staying behind in the library or in the field, cutting classes so she could read a few more pages of the book.

"Mom, maybe you didn't search deep enough! Maybe it needs someone more powerful, or maybe a new set of eyes!" Rayne whispered, her lips curving upwards forming a big smile, her eyes showing wisps of hope as she tried to reach again for the book in her mother's hands. Regina shook her head almost immediately and pulled a hand up.

"Rayne you are grounded for one month, I will talk with Archie tomorrow so you can start therapy sessions after school and Mrs. Berkley would be more than happy to help you with your courses so she'll come from 5:00 till 6:30pm 4 times a week. Now I want your phone, your laptop and your iPad by my room in 15 minutes."

With that Regina turned and walked out the door. Rayne wanted to cry, wanted to curse at her principal for butting in where she didn't belong, wanted to freeze her mother in place as she left to find her dad, but most of all, Rayne wanted her dad to make things better. She had heard several tales of her father, the infamous Robin Hood, and he had always been described as the most selfless and loving person in the entire world. Little John had told her once of how her father and little brother were the only ones to make the queen laugh or smile back when they were in the Enchanted Forrest. There were times that Rayne wished, as selfish as it sounds, that Marian had never been brought back by Emma, but soon those thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the guilt that settled over her stomach, still she couldn't help but think of how different things would've been, how easier it would've been, how happier they would've been. Regina had been nothing but lovable to Rayne, but sometimes Rayne caught sight of the heartbreak and pain her mother endured. There were times where they were having a meal with the Merry Men, her infinite number of uncles and aunts, the men would say something about Robin and her mother would stiffen, tears disappearing almost as soon as they came before she'd spoken up and changed the subject. There were other times where she'd crept into her mother's crypt only to catch sight of her staring to the far corner of the room. And there was one night, several weeks away, where Rayne was up at 3am in the morning and was making her way to the bathroom when she heard the distinctive sound of sniffles and small sobs coming from her mother's room. And it had caused her rage, she couldn't handle this anymore, this living life as if nothing was wrong when in fact _everything_ was wrong. So that morning when her mother left for work and she found herself alone at her home she missed school and went through every place in Storybrooke that contained spell books and potions recipes, from the oldest to the newest. So sure she had cut some classes and gotten detention a few times, but it had been for a good cause. Rayne made a promise to herself the moment she heard her mother's cries, she will give her, she will give _them _the happy ending they deserved, a promise Rayne was intent on fulfilling not matter what it takes.

"Where are you taking that?" Rayne asked fearfully as she walked downstairs following her mother. Henry and Grace were staring now at Regina who walked towards the fireplace and stared back again at her daughter. "This has caused us enough problems as it is, it needs to be destroyed," she whispered and threw the book into the fireplace, threw a fireball at it and a protection spell across the opening so no one could try to take it out. She turned back to face her daughter who looked at her with disbelief and tear tracks marking her cheeks. "The faster you give up on this crazy idea of yours, the easier it will be for you Rayne! Your father is never coming back!"

She looked down and nodded, took a deep shuddering breath and with her forearm rubbed the water from her nose.

"You're asking me to give up on my father? Well mom, I'm sorry but I will _never_ give up on him, much less when you're the one to blame for this. If you'd gone after him we wouldn't be having this conversation. Perhaps if you've forgotten about this retched place and moved on with your life _I_ would've gotten the chance to meet my dad, _he_ would've showed me how to shoot an arrow instead of Uncle Will or Uncle John, _I_ would've showed him how incredible I am at writing or at telling tales or I would've showed him how my apple turnovers taste just a tad better than yours!," she was sobbing now, tears coming in torrents out of her eyes.

"_We_ would've been happier mom. So before you go saying how _stupid_ I am for having even the smallest form of hope that I will meet my father, think about how _selfish_ you were for keeping me away from him."

"That's enough Ry!" Henry yelled as he stood and walked towards her sister, he was about to embrace his mother before Rayne scoffed and ran upstairs, the lights dimming behind her as she walked into her room and closed the door with a loud _t__hud. _Several minutes went by quietly before Grace cleared her throat.

"I'll go talk to her," Grace whispered and Henry nodded before she walked upstairs, Henry's eye following her every move until she disappeared from his eyesight. He turned back towards his mother, who was staring intently at the floor, tears spilling from her eyes. He hugged her, her head resting against his shoulder as she took shuddering breaths.

"I couldn't leave you behind," Regina said after a few minutes.

"What?," Henry asked confused. Regina closed her eyes tightly and took in another shuddering breath.

"When I found out I was pregnant with Rayne, I was ecstatic, I wanted to leave Storybrooke and find Robin, but at the same time I wanted to stay here with you. You're my son too Henry," Regina whispered, tears gathering once again in her eyes. "If I left I had to leave you behind, I went through that once already and it destroyed me, it would've killed me if I did it again," She cried out fully now, sobs wrecking through her tiny body. Regina knew she shouldn't cry in the arms of her nearly 30 year old son, but this was heartbreaking, finally being able to confess what had plagued her mind ever since she caught glimpse of that plus sign. It wasn't as simple as her daughter had said, whichever choice she made would've resulted in heartbreak and at that moment the easiest way was staying within the course she knew, to raise a baby by herself once again.

"Mom, it's not your fault, it's okay," Henry muttered against her hair and dropped a kiss on top of her head, he rubbed her back in a comforting notion and whispered that Rayne was just angry, that she'll come around soon enough. Regina nodded and pulled back from their embrace, placed both hands against his cheeks, "Thank you," she muttered and dropped a kiss to his cheek, "I'm fine now please go check on them," Regina looked towards the ceiling and bit her lower lip. Henry nodded and walked upstairs. She stared at the ashes that now decorated the fireplace and lifted the protection spell, with a wave of her hand the ashes disappeared and she sighed. Nothing good ever came from her mother's spell book. She would do anything in her power to keep her daughter away from it. Rayne had the purest and strongest form of magic that has ever existed, that of the union of two soul mates, true love, and the fact that one withheld the second strongest form of dark magic in every realm. It didn't came as a surprise when five year old Rayne managed to freeze Grace mid-step as she tried to take her away from her bath. Regina would rather die than let her daughter be coaxed into darkness by her mother's spell book. Her thoughts were interrupted by Henry's panicked scream for her help.

She quickly walked upstairs and walked into the room, there in the far corner of her room was Henry cradling an unmoving Grace, her eyes wide open, a gray hue covering them. She kneeled beside them and rubbed the girls temper.

"Where is Rayne?," she asked worriedly and Henry muttered how she wasn't there when he arrived before he dropped a kiss against his girlfriend's forehead. Regina closed her eyes and slammed her hand against the floor, a hole appearing instantly. She huffed a breath and placed both hands a few inches away from her body, muttered a few elvish words and the girl jerked up suddenly, her eyes now clear.

"She's gone, she's gone! She took Hoody and she left!," Grace said nervously her eyes catching Regina's angry ones. Regina looked around the room, a few books were missing and her backpack, her walk in closet was open, a few scattered clothes on the floor along with her several pairs of converses. Regina shook her head, this couldn't be happening, not again. First Henry, who left at 10 years old, now her daughter at 16 years old.

Before Regina could say anything else a rippling noise shook the ground beneath them, the wind outside picked up and a bright light encased the whole town like a dome before it disappeared into nothingness.


End file.
